Should I use a travel eSIM, roam, or buy a local SIM?
Short answer. A travel eSIM is usually the cheapest way to get data that works the moment you land, and you keep your number. Roaming wins if your home plan includes the destination (EU SIMs in the EU/EEA roam at home prices). A local SIM can be cheapest for long stays but means a shop visit and, in many countries, ID registration.
What does a week of travel eSIM data cost?
| Destination | Cheapest plan with 7+ days and 5+ GB (10 Nov 2026) |
|---|---|
| United States | Nomad 5 GB, 30 days, $7.20 |
| Japan | Airalo 5 GB, 7 days, $10.00 |
| Thailand | Airalo 5 GB, 7 days, $7.00 |
| Türkiye | Airalo 5 GB, 7 days, $9.00 |
| Mexico | Nomad 5 GB, 30 days, $11.00 |
| United Kingdom | Airalo 5 GB, 7 days, $12.00 |
When is roaming the right answer?
When it's free or cheap on your plan. For SIMs issued in the EU, "Roam like at home" means no roaming surcharges in other EU/EEA countries, and Regulation (EU) 2022/612 extends that to 2032. Outside those cases, compare your carrier's daily pass with the per-day price on our country pages.
When is a local SIM better?
Longer stays, a need for a local phone number, or heavy use where local prepaid data is cheap. We don't track local SIM prices, so we won't quote them.
What does a travel eSIM not give you?
Usually no local number: most plans are data-only. Some include calls and texts, flagged "Calls & texts" in our tables.
Travel insurance. SafetyWing's Nomad Insurance is a monthly medical policy for travel and stays abroad. Read the policy on SafetyWing. We earn a commission if you buy through this link.